Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday that India is committed to becoming self-reliant in the defense sector. He said that a strong, homegrown military is essential for national security. He said this when opening a private aero engine test facility in Noida, which he called a “strong reflection of aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
The minister said that the government has a big plan to give full aerial security to all critical buildings in the country during the next ten years. The Sudarshan Chakra air defense system is the name of the project. It will have both offensive and defensive parts to deal with security concerns. The system, which just had its first successful flight tests, will include homegrown quick reaction surface-to-air missiles, very short-range air defense missiles, and a laser-based directed energy weapon.
Singh also talked about how drones are becoming more and more important in modern warfare, using the recent Russia-Ukraine conflict as a perfect example of how important they are. He stated, “If you look closely at the Russia-Ukraine conflict, you will see that drones have been used a lot—before, now, and all the time.” He stressed that India needs to embrace drones in its war policy.
He said that countries who put money into drone technology have a big advantage in battle, while others have fallen behind. Singh said that Indian businesses have made great strides in this area. He said that India used to have to buy drones, but now it is “designing, developing, and manufacturing them domestically.”
The minister ended by saying again that the government is committed to making a strong, local aero-engine. The project is “almost over” with preparations, and work will begin soon. He said that India’s dependence on foreign supply is a risk that the country “cannot afford” right now.